📖 Meaning
This idiom describes acting rashly or taking action without careful deliberation. It warns against making hasty decisions driven by impulse rather than sound judgment. It is commonly used as a caution against reckless behavior in uncertain or volatile situations.
📜 Origin Story
This phrase originates from 'Han Feizi: Explaining Laozi' (《韩非子·解老》), a work by the Legalist philosopher Han Fei of the late Warring States period. Han Fei observed that ordinary people easily abandon principles and act recklessly, unaware of how profound and far-reaching the consequences of fortune and misfortune can be. The idiom thus serves as a timeless warning against disregarding reason and acting on impulse.
💡 Example Usage
在局势未明之前，我们不可轻举妄动，以免陷入被动。
Before the situation becomes clear, we must not act rashly, lest we be forced into a passive position.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 轻举妄动
- Pinyin: qīng jǔ wàng dòng
- Literal Translation: lightly, act, recklessly, move
- Category: Action
- Characters: 4